Are shooting on sight in Arc Raiders? If so you are playing the game not as intended.
Arc Raiders may look like a PvP-driven extraction shooter, but according to its creators, that assumption misses the point entirely.
Why PvP Was Never Meant To Be The Game’s Core Focus
Released last year, ARC Raiders has established itself as one of the most successful multiplayer releases of recent years. The game has reached over 12 million players and has reportedly retained nearly 90 percent of its player base.
For many players, the biggest appeal of the game lies in its PvP encounters. Others, however, are more critical of that aspect. According to Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund, player-versus-player combat was never intended to be the core idea behind the game. In an interview with GameBeat’s Dean Takahashi, Söderlund explained:
“The game isn’t about shooting other players. You can do that if you want to, but the ethos of the game has never been to go in and shoot players.”
For the development team, PvP is meant to function as a tool to raise tension rather than to introduce a competitive mindset. This philosophy is also reflected in the absence of traditional competitive features:
“One of the beauties of this game is the fact that we don’t have those leaderboards, and it’s not competitive. We don’t necessarily want to foster that kind of gameplay.”
As a result, players hoping for in-game PvP leaderboards or large-scale competitive events such as Twitch Rivals tournaments may need to temper their expectations.
The Uncertainty That Defines ARC Raiders
Many prominent streamers and a large portion of the player base tend to gravitate toward PvP because of the adrenaline rush it provides. That reaction is easy to understand, as player confrontations often create some of the most intense moments in the game. At the same time, one could argue that the real appeal of ARC Raiders lies in the uncertainty of each encounter and in never knowing whether a situation will turn into PvP or PvE.
Players often enter a match with a clear intention, only to have that plan change through unexpected interactions. Someone who initially sets out to fight and loot may instead meet another player who offers help, shares resources, or suggests taking on a difficult PvE threat together. These spontaneous decisions are driven entirely by human behavior and moment-to-moment judgment rather than by systems that reward aggression.
This unpredictability is a defining part of the experience. The absence of a strongly competitive framework allows these situations to exist organically, where cooperation and conflict can emerge naturally. Rather than pushing players toward a single optimal playstyle, the game leaves room for social interaction and situational choices, which many would argue is central to what makes ARC Raiders feel distinct.
Do you prefer PvP or PvE? Let us know in the comments!
